Organization: Results for America
Role: Director, New Cities, City Experience - What Works Cities
Location: Flexible, within the United States
Organization Overview
Results for America (RFA) is the leading, national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that, one day, all government leaders use rigorous evidence and quality data to inform important policy and funding decisions. We believe that data-driven and evidence-based policy decisions should be used to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend annually to open opportunities and advance economic mobility.
Team Overview
At Results for America, one of our flagship initiatives is What Works Cities (WWC), a Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded initiative that helps city governments across the country improve residents’ lives by using data and evidence effectively to tackle pressing challenges. To accomplish this, we work directly with city leaders and staff through coaching and implementation support, a range of online and in-person learning opportunities, and a growing professional network. This support is guided by What Works Cities Certification, the first-ever international standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government.
What Works Cities Certification assesses cities based on their data-driven decision-making practices, such as whether they are using data to set goals and track progress, allocate funding, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and achieve desired outcomes from contracts with outside vendors. The program also measures whether cities are publicly and transparently communicating about their use of data and evidence. By aspiring toward Certification and implementing the best practices outlined in the program’s criteria, cities across the country are more effectively delivering results for residents. Since our launch in 2015, we have helped more than 300 cities make progress on their most pressing issues, from health and public safety to homelessness and blight.
What Works Cities is now entering an exciting new phase. The initiative will continue scaling across North, Central, and South America, surpassing the milestone of 100 Certified cities while also exploring other regional markets. WWC is also developing innovative ways for cities to engage and build capacity from those just beginning their Certification journey to those deepening their work as Certified cities.
Position Overview
The Director, New Cities is accountable end-to-end for the What Works Cities New Cities portfolio, which incorporates strategic, operational, and people leadership responsibilities. This role leads the New Cities team and is responsible for supervising the Certification journey for cities new to the What Works Cities Network - from outreach and onboarding through assessment, coaching, and recognition.
The Director ensures fidelity to the WWC Standard while driving a high-quality, consistent, and supportive experience for new cities across diverse contexts and levels of data maturity.
This role requires strong judgment, program and people leadership, and the ability to translate data and evidence into actionable strategy, learning, and impact across What Works Cities and Results for America.
This is a full-time, exempt position, based in a home office anywhere within the U.S.
International Travel up to 40% annually may be required.
Position Reporting Relationship
The Director, New Cities will report temporarily to the SVP and Managing Director, WWC & permanently to the Executive Director, City Experience, What Works Cities.
Position Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Director include but are not limited to:
Portfolio Strategy & Program Leadership (40%)
- Advance and translate the City Experience and WWC-wide strategies into clear priorities, guidance and workflows for the New Cities teams.
- Identify trends, risks, and opportunities across the portfolio and elevate insights to City Experience and WWC leadership.
- Serve as the internal decision-maker for complex or high-stakes Certification determinations.
- Contribute to initiative-wide discussions on criteria evolution, assessment calibration, and Certification model refinement.
- Actively maintain a portfolio of cities as well.
- Ensure fidelity, rigor, and consistent application of the WWC Certification Standard.
People Management & Team Development (30%)
- Directly manage and support the New Cities team, including goal-setting, performance management, coaching, and professional development.
- Set team goals and performance indicators aligned with City Experience priorities and WWC growth targets.
- Coach staff on assessment quality, city engagement, judgment calls, and consistent application of the WWC Standard.
- Ensure effective delegation and escalation, allowing Managers and Senior Managers to operate with appropriate autonomy while maintaining quality and alignment.
- Lead staffing plans, onboarding, and capacity planning for the New Cities team.
Quality Assurance & City Engagement (10%)
- Support managers in navigating complex city dynamics, mayoral transitions, and high-touch engagements.
- Engage directly with new cities, particularly in moments of escalation, transition, or executive engagement.
- Ensure a consistent, high-quality city experience across managers and engagement models.
- Partner with Communications and City Experience teams on Certification announcements, storytelling, and other public-facing milestones.
- Provide oversight and quality assurance for assessment reviews, site visits, and city-facing deliverables.
Data, Impact & Learning (10%)
- Support the use of Assessment and Certification data to inform program decisions, impact reporting, and learning agendas.
- Co-lead development of the BbP quarterly reports; biweekly & North Star goals reporting for org
- Partner with Operations & Planning team to ensure tools and systems (e.g., Community Forum, Assessment platform) effectively support cities on their Certification Journey.
- Guide synthesis of insights from new cities to inform WWC-wide learning, research, and product development.
- Monitor portfolio metrics related to throughput, and conversion to Certification.
Cross-Team Leadership & Operations (10%)
- Serve as a core member of the WWC leadership team, collaborating closely with Certified Cities, Curriculum, Communications, and Operations counterparts.
- Contribute to initiative-level planning, budgeting, and governance processes.
- Ensure New Cities workflows are well-integrated with WWC systems, timelines, scaling strategies, and funder priorities.
Experience, Competencies, and Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, as well as an alignment with Results for America’s mission and organizational values:
Experience and Qualifications:
- 12+ years of relevant work experience and a Bachelors degree
- Required: Professional experience working within public-sector management consulting and/or municipal government
- Required: At least 5 years prior experience direct supervision of full-time staff in multi-layer, complex teams
- Valued: Research (qualitative and quantitative data analysis) skill set
- Valued: Master’s or other advanced degree (MPP; MPA; MPH)
- Prior experience setting, forecasting & managing annual program budgets
- Prior experience cultivating funders & meeting fundraising targets
- Prior experience working with executive-level leaders in government, nonprofits, or philanthropy
- Tech stack: Salesforce, Google Suite, MS Office, Asana, Slack, WhatsApp
Competencies:
- Demonstrated ability to set, lead and hold accountability for program or product efficacy and/or long-term projects with org-wide strategic impact
- History of designing, developing, and investing a wide range of stakeholders in new or revised programs, products, and/or services
- Proven ability to successfully set, collaborate on, and lead others to meet ambitious program or product goals and plans on a designated budget
- Communicates confidently across diverse professional settings with a wide range of stakeholders and audiences, including executive-level leadership
- Adaptive skill set; anticipates unplanned variables in completing projects, often in dynamic contexts
- Models critical thinking; incorporates data, research, and feedback to drive decision-making at a program, product and/or service level
Salary and Benefits
Results for America offers a compensation package that includes:
- A competitive base salary commensurate with relevant work experience; and
- A benefits package that includes choice in medical plans; dental/vision coverage; paid time off; a 403b retirement plan with employer contribution.
Salary range: $147, 041- $191, 386.
New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.
How to Apply
- To apply for this position, please complete and submit all information in the application/application link.
- RFA is an equal opportunity employer that values/celebrates diversity and that follows a policy of making all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, partnership status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses or stalking, military status, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.
- Applicants for employment with RFA must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. now or in the future.